Content
by SCP-blank
Summary: Everyone's happiness comes in different ways. The most important thing to remember is to be content. Harry Potter/ Susan Bones. EWE. Oneshot.


**Content**

War changed people. Many lost their loved ones, friends, those they cared about. People were damaged.

Harry Potter, too was damaged, damaged long before the war had ended. He kept his facade on at all times, doing anything and everything he could to help his friends that were the only family he had and yet there was no one who helped him to cope, to endure the hurt.

* * *

"Harry? You alright there, mate? For a moment I thought you spaced out in the debriefing room." Neville said as they were walking to their cubicles. Both of them, along with few other former housemates had entered the intense auror training program in order to make sure every single piece of filth left over from Voldemort's reign was found and imprisoned.

"Sure." Harry said, throwing his friend a smile. It was so small that no one could tell if it was genuine or not. Harry was quite good at deceiving people or, at least, he became good after all the practice he had over the years in the public eye.

It was for the best that his two closest friends had opted not to become aurors. Hermione, as soon as the war ended, had ran off to Australia and only after retrieving her parents had started working. She just showed up the next day after her reappearance at England in Kingsley's office and asked if there was any position needed to be filled. So she had became whatever at the moment she needed to be, her official title being 'Head of Recovery' or HOR, the head of retribution of the war guild. However, since in passing she had stated more than once that being an auror wasn't really her thing, there were no regrets there. Harry, himself felt that Hermione was better off playing political games and scheming than investigating crimes.

Ron.. Well, Harry wasn't sure about Ron. His best friend was not coping so well. He had lost his brother and was working with George, helping with his shop though his duties alienated between keeping the business running and making sure George stayed safe and sane. Because of the fact Harry was conflicted whether it was a good thing for Ron not to become and auror and pursue his own dreams. Ron said he missed the chase, the thrill of duelling but when Harry during a drink or two they were having in a muggle bar (being so famous they could get privacy only in the muggle world) had asked Ron if he still wanted to be an auror his mate had laughed and said that he preferred to keep all of his limbs in place, thank-you-very-much.

So, while Harry was sometimes lonely because he was used to them three doing everything together and going off to adventures of magnanimous proportions, he was also glad because it meant he could maintain his facade of cheerful happy savior easier.

Because of that, when Proudfoot - current chief of aurors- had stated he, Harry Potter, needed a partner in the field, Harry had short of thrown a tantrum. He couldn't let anyone see the real Harry Potter because it would undoubtedly make the public pry into his private life even more.

No matter that his so called private life was almost non existent excluding some drinks at muggles bars with some Weasleys or Neville or their Saturday ritual of fantasy movies with Hermione and Ron or the occasional lunch with Luna.

* * *

The following work day after Proudfoot's announcement, Harry went to the Board. The board usually was used for visual demonstrations and other things in relation to large scale investigations, but currently auros were experiencing what Savage called 'dry spell' in the crime world as only petty thefts were occurring and even hit wizards could handle those. So Harry glanced at it, searching for the demeaning and annoying piece of parchment that would doom him to having to socialise even more.

The piece of parchment that was written to him (HJP) said only this: P: SAB.

Now to normal people that wouldn't have meant much and to muggle detective or a policeman (as that's who aurors essentially were in the magical world) this message would have looked incomprehensible or plain silly.

In fact, ever since after Voldemort's defeat Proudfoot had gotten the leadership as the head Auror, he had issued a rule stating that every inside message had to use abbreviations and codes. Whether he had fascination with secret messaging or was just plain paranoid Harry didn't know.

And didn't particularly care even as those same thoughts drifted though the surface on his mind finally stopping at the initials of his new partner.

He knew who SAB was.

It was Susan Amelia Bones. Susan Bones. She was, well, Harry had little to say about her. He knew her only through D.A. meetings but there was never much to talk with each other. However, when he learned she was to become his partner, Harry opted to find out not only why but also how to pull wool over her eyes, so that there would be no talk that Harry Potter was unbalanced or that he needed to be made to go out more. To be more _sociable. _

Harry wondered what it said about his mental well being that he was content with being a hermit.

He badgered Proudfoot annoyingly until the man had succumbed to the pressure and exploded into angry rant.  
"She's mentally unbalanced, for Merlin's sake, you have to keep an eye on her!" And he didn't explain anything else.

* * *

_Two years later..._

"Are you sure it's a good idea?" Hermione asked Harry as they were watching Sue transfigure and animate Teddy's toys over and over, making the two year old giggle. Harry was watching the sight fondly and then glanced back at Hermione.

They were at Andy's place, the old woman herself was out socialising as she had put it but Harry knew she was visiting the graves. She had left Harry in charge and he, along with Susan and Hermione, who had strangely enough insisted to come too, went to look after Teddy.

"What's a good idea?" Harry asked, his attention still on his partner.

"To be with her." She answered and Harry looked up startled. His face searched her's and then he had sighed.

"To be with her at all or to be together?" Not that it had sounded much different but Hermione understood the meaning well.

"To be together.. Harry, with Ginny" This made him hiss but Hermione put a hand on his shoulder in a silent pleading gesture. "With Ginny you at least could laugh... Sue, Susan is, well, this is the first time I'm seeing her act like a human being and not a machine.. You know she's not well.." Hermione stopped and waited for an answer.

"She's not well so this could not end good, right?" They stared at each other. "I wish people would stop talking about Ginny and I." He stated, slight mirth entering his voice. "She just complained to me few days ago how she can't keep a boyfriend since they all have this weird notion they have to compete with me." Harry let out a strained chuckle.

"You're still friends, at least." Hermione said again "But do you think you would be able to stay friends with Sue if you.."

"No." Harry interrupted and shot his best friend a warning glance.

* * *

It was not surprising that media, even after long years in their marriage, continued speculating whether it had been an arrangement. Harry was never a particularly touchy-feely sort of person and despite what Hannah had told him about Susan before the war, his wife was not one for PDA also.

They didn't even behave like a couple. Merlin, they didn't even have pet names or use them. Well, there was a time when Susan would call him wonder boy just to annoy him but other than that they never felt the need to call each other names - terms of endearment as others called them.

"It's just silly." Sue had replied one time Harry asked why she laughed every time Hannah would call Neville her 'bear' or 'honey'.

"So I should avoid calling you sweetheart?" He asked partly serious.

"You'd better, Potter, because otherwise I'll take you to St. Mungos mental ward." She threatened and hugged him unexpectedly.

* * *

In the end, Harry decided, it really didn't matter what the public thought. They were both as happy as they could be. Content.


End file.
